Florida Senate - 2008 (Reformatted) SB 818

By Senator Bennett

21-02442A-08 2008818__

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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to financial services; amending s. 520.02,

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F.S.; defining the term "guaranteed asset protection

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products"; amending s. 520.07, F.S.; setting forth

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requirements and prohibitions for selling guaranteed asset

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protection products; amending s. 624.605, F.S.; including

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debt-cancellation products under casualty insurance;

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providing a definition; authorizing certain entities to

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offer debt-cancellation products under certain

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circumstances; specifying that such products are not

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insurance; amending ss. 627.553 and 627.679, F.S.;

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revising limitations on the amount of authorized insurance

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for debtors; amending s. 627.681, F.S.; revising a

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limitation on the term of credit disability insurance;

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amending s. 655.005, F.S.; redefining the terms "federal

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financial institution" and "financial institution";

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defining the term "debt-cancellation products"; amending

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s. 655.79, F.S.; providing that a deposit account by a

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husband and wife is a tenancy by the entirety; creating s.

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655.947, F.S.; providing a definition; authorizing

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financial institutions to offer debt-cancellation

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products; authorizing a fee; requiring the Financial

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Services Commission to adopt rules; providing that a

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periodic payment option is not required for certain debt-

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cancellation products; amending s. 655.954, F.S.;

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authorizing a financial institution to offer a debt-

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cancellation product but not as a requirement of receiving

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a loan; creating s. 655.967, F.S.; providing that state-

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mandated endowments may be maintained in trust accounts in

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financial institutions; amending s. 658.21, F.S.; revising

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an ownership of capital criterion for capital accounts at

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financial institutions and one-bank holding companies;

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amending s. 658.34, F.S.; prohibiting certain stock

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issuance practices for banks; amending s. 658.36, F.S.;

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requiring a state bank or trust company to file a written

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notice before increasing its capital stock; amending s.

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658.44, F.S.; revising criteria for determining the value

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of dissenting shares of certain entities; providing an

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effective date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Present subsections (7) through (19) of section

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520.02, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections (8)

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through (20), respectively, and a new subsection (7) is added to

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that section, to read:

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     520.02  Definitions.--In this act, unless the context or

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subject matter otherwise requires:

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     (7) "Guaranteed asset protection products" means loan,

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lease, or retail installment contract terms, or modifications or

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addenda to loan, lease, or retail installment contracts, under

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which a creditor agrees to waive a customer's liability for

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payment of some or all of the amount by which the debt exceeds

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the value of the collateral. This product is not insurance for

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purposes of the Florida Insurance Code. This subsection also

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applies to all such guaranteed asset protection products issued

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before October 1, 2008.

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     Section 2.  Subsection (11) is added to section 520.07,

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Florida Statutes, to read:

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     520.07  Requirements and prohibitions as to retail

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installment contracts.--

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     (11) In conjunction with entering into a new retail

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installment contract or contract for a loan, a motor vehicle

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retail installment seller, as defined in s. 520.02(10), sales

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finance company, as defined in s. 520.02(18), or retail lessors,

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as defined in s. 521.003(8), and their assignees may offer, for a

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fee or otherwise, optional guaranteed asset protection products

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in accordance with this chapter. The motor vehicle retail

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installment seller, sales finance company, or retail lessor may

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not require the purchase of a guaranteed asset protection product

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as a condition for making the loan. In order to offer any

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guaranteed asset protection product, the motor vehicle retail

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installment seller, sales finance company, or retail lessor, and

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their assignees, must comply with the following:

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     (a) The cost of a guaranteed asset protection product, with

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respect to any loan covered by the product, may not exceed the

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amount of the indebtedness.

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     (b) Any contract or agreement pertaining to a guaranteed

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asset protection product is governed by this section.

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     (c) The guaranteed asset protection product is considered

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an obligation of any person who purchases or otherwise acquires

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the loan contract covering the product.

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     (d) Entities providing guaranteed asset protection products

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shall provide readily understandable disclosures that detail

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eligibility requirements, conditions, refunds, and exclusions.

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The disclosures must state that the purchase of the product is

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optional. The disclosures must be in plain language and of a type

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face and size that are easy to read.

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     (e) Entities must provide a copy of the executed guaranteed

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asset protection product contract to the buyer. The entity bears

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the burden of proving that the contract was provided to the

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buyer.

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     (f) Entities may not offer a contract for a guaranteed

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asset protection product which contains terms giving the entity

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the right to unilaterally modify the contract unless:

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     1. The modification is favorable to the buyer and is made

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without an additional charge to the buyer; or

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     2. The buyer is notified of any proposed change and is

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provided a reasonable opportunity to cancel the contract without

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penalty before the change takes effect.

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     (g) If a contract for a guaranteed asset protection product

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is terminated, the entity must refund to the buyer any unearned

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fees paid for the contract unless the contract provides

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otherwise. A refund is not due to a consumer who receives a

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benefit under such product. In order to receive a refund, the

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buyer must notify the entity of the event terminating the

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contract and request a refund within 90 days after the occurrence

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of the event terminating the contract. Any entity may offer a

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buyer a contract that does not provide for a refund only if the

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entity also offers that buyer a bona fide option to purchase a

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comparable contract that provides for a refund.

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     Section 3.  Paragraph (r) is added to subsection (1) of

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section 624.605, Florida Statutes, to read:

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     624.605  "Casualty insurance" defined.--

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     (1)  "Casualty insurance" includes:

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     (r) Insurance for debt-cancellation products.--Insurance

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that a creditor may purchase against the risk of financial loss

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from the use of debt-cancellation products with consumer loans,

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leases, or retail installment contracts.

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     1. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "debt-

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cancellation product" means loan, lease, or retail installment

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contract terms, or modifications to loan, lease, or retail

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installment contracts, under which a creditor agrees to cancel or

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suspend all or part of a customer's obligation to make payments

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upon the occurrence of specified events and includes, but is not

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limited to, debt-cancellation contracts, debt-suspension

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agreements, and guaranteed asset-protection contracts. The term

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does not include title insurance as defined in s. 624.608.

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     2. Debt-cancellation products may be offered by financial

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institutions, as defined in s. 655.005(1)(h), insured depository

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institutions, as defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813(c), and

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subsidiaries of such institutions, as provided in the financial

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institution codes, or by other business entities as may be

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specifically authorized by law, and such products are not

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insurance for purposes of the Florida Insurance Code.

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     Section 4.  Subsection (3) of section 627.553, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     627.553  Debtor groups.--The lives of a group of individuals

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may be insured under a policy issued to a creditor or its parent

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holding company, or to a trustee or trustees or agent designated

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by two or more creditors, which creditor, holding company,

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affiliate, trustee or trustees, or agent shall be deemed the

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policyholder, to insure debtors of the creditor or creditors,

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subject to the following requirements:

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     (3)  The amount of insurance on the life of any debtor shall

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at no time exceed the amount owed by the debtor her or him which

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is repayable in installments to the creditor or $50,000,

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whichever is less, except that loans not exceeding 1 year's

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duration shall not be subject to such limits. However, on such

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loans not exceeding 1 year's duration, the limit of coverage

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shall not exceed $50,000 with any one insurer.

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     Section 5.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section

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627.679, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

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     627.679  Amount of insurance; disclosure.--

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     (1)

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     (b)  The total amount of credit life insurance on the life

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of any debtor with respect to any loan or loans covered in one or

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more insurance policies shall at no time exceed the amount of

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indebtedness $50,000 with any one creditor, except that loans not

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exceeding 1 year's duration shall not be subject to such limits,

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and on such loans not exceeding 1 year's duration, the limits of

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coverage shall not exceed $50,000 with any one insurer.

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     Section 6.  Subsection (2) of section 627.681, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     627.681  Term and evidence of insurance.--

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     (2)  The term of credit disability insurance on any debtor

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insured under this section shall not exceed the term of

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indebtedness 10 years, and for credit transactions that exceed 60

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months, coverage shall not exceed 60 monthly indemnities.

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     Section 7.  Paragraphs (g) and (h) of subsection (1) of

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section 655.005, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph (t)

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is added to that subsection, to read:

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     655.005  Definitions.--

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     (1)  As used in the financial institutions codes, unless the

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context otherwise requires, the term:

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     (g)  "Federal financial institution" means a federally or

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nationally chartered or organized financial institution

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association, bank, savings bank, or credit union.

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     (h)  "Financial institution" means a state or federal

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savings or thrift association, bank, savings bank, trust company,

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international bank agency, international banking organization,

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international branch, international representative office, or

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international administrative office, or credit union; an

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agreement corporation operating under s. 25 of the Federal

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Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. ss. 601 et seq.; or an Edge Act

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corporation organized under s. 25(a) of the Federal Reserve Act,

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12 U.S.C. ss. 611 et seq.

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     (t) "Debt-cancellation products" means loan, lease, or

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retail installment contract terms, or modifications or addenda to

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loan, lease, or retail installment contracts, under which a

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creditor agrees to cancel or suspend all or part of a customer's

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obligation to make payments upon the occurrence of specified

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events and includes, but is not limited to, debt-cancellation

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contracts, debt-suspension agreements, and guaranteed asset-

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protection contracts offered by financial institutions, insured

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depository institutions, as defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813(c), and

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subsidiaries of such institutions. The term does not include

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title insurance as defined in s. 624.608.

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     Section 8.  Subsection (1) of section 655.79, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     655.79  Deposits and accounts in two or more names;

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presumption as to vesting on death.--

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     (1)  Unless otherwise expressly provided in a contract,

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agreement, or signature card executed in connection with the

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opening or maintenance of an account, including a certificate of

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deposit, a deposit account in the names of two or more persons

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shall be presumed to have been intended by such persons to

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provide that, upon the death of any one of them, all rights,

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title, interest, and claim in, to, and in respect of such deposit

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account, less all proper setoffs and charges in favor of the

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institution, vest in the surviving person or persons. Any deposit

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or account made in the name of two persons who are husband and

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wife shall be considered a tenancy by the entirety unless

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otherwise specified in writing.

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     Section 9.  Section 655.947, Florida Statutes, is created to

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read:

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     655.947 Debt-cancellation products.--

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     (1) Debt-cancellation products may be offered, and a fee

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may be charged, by financial institutions and subsidiaries of

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financial institutions subject to this section and the rules and

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orders of the commission or office. As used in this section, the

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term "financial institutions" includes those institutions defined

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in s. 655.005(1), insured depository institutions, as defined in

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12 U.S.C. s. 1813, and subsidiaries of these institutions.

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     (2) A financial institution must manage the risks

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associated with debt-cancellation products in accordance with

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prudent safety and soundness principles. A financial institution

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must establish and maintain effective risk-management and control

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processes over its debt-cancellation products and programs. These

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processes must include appropriate recognition and financial

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reporting of income, expenses, assets, and liabilities, and

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appropriate treatment of all expected and unexpected losses

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associated with the products. Each financial institution should

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also assess the adequacy of its internal control and risk-

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mitigation activities in view of the nature and scope of its

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debt-cancellation products and programs.

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     (3) The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.

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120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section, which rules

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must be consistent with 12 C.F.R. part 37, as amended.

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     (4) For purposes of this section and any rules adopted

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pursuant to this section, a periodic payment option is not

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required to be offered for any debt-cancellation product designed

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to protect a customer against a deficiency between the

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outstanding loan or lease amount and the value of the motor

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vehicle that is used as collateral for the loan or lease.

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     Section 10.  Section 655.954, Florida Statutes, is amended

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to read:

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     655.954  Financial institution loans; credit cards.--

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     (1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a financial

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institution shall have the power to make loans or extensions of

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credit to any person on a credit card or overdraft financing

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arrangement and to charge, in any billing cycle, interest on the

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outstanding amount at a rate that is specified in a written

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agreement, between the financial institution and borrower,

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governing the credit card account.  Such credit card agreement

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may modify any terms or conditions of such credit card account

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upon prior written notice of such modification as specified by

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the terms of the agreement governing the credit card account or

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by the Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. ss. 1601 et seq as

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amended, and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder. Any

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such notice provided by a financial institution shall specify

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that the borrower has the right to surrender the credit card

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whereupon the borrower shall have the right to continue to pay

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off the borrower's credit card account in the same manner and

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under the same terms and conditions as then in effect.  The

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borrower's failure to surrender the credit card prior to the

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modifications becoming effective shall constitute a consent to

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the modifications.

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     (2) In conjunction with entering into any contract or

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agreement for a loan, line of credit, or loan extension, a

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financial institution, an insured depository institution, as

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defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813, and subsidiaries of these

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institutions, may offer, for a fee or otherwise, optional debt-

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cancellation products under s. 655.947 and the rules adopted

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under that section. The financial institution may not require a

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person to purchase a debt-cancellation product as a condition for

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a loan, line of credit, or loan extension.

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     (3)(2) For the purpose of this section, the term:

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     (a)  "Billing cycle" has the same meaning as ascribed to it

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under the federal Truth in Lending Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. ss.

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1601 et seq., and the associated regulations which are in effect

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as of June 30, 2007 1992.

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     (b)  "Interest" means those charges considered a finance

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charge under the federal Truth in Lending Act, as amended, 15

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U.S.C. ss. 1601 et seq., and the associated regulations which are

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in effect as of June 30, 2007 1992.

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     Section 11.  Section 655.967, Florida Statutes, is created

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to read:

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     655.967 State-funded endowments.--Notwithstanding any other

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provision of law, a state-mandated endowment funded through a

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General Appropriations Act prior to 1990 may be maintained in

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trust accounts in financial institutions.

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     Section 12.  Subsection (2) of section 658.21, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     658.21  Approval of application; findings required.--The

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office shall approve the application if it finds that:

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     (2)  The proposed capitalization is in such amount as the

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office deems adequate, but in no case may the total capital

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accounts at opening for a bank be less than $8 $6 million if the

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proposed bank is to be located in any county which is included in

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a metropolitan statistical area, or $4 million if the proposed

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bank is to be located in any other county. The total capital

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accounts at opening for a trust company may not be less than $3

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$2 million. The organizing directors of the proposed bank must

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directly own or control at least the lesser of $3 million or 25

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percent of the bank's total capital accounts proposed at opening,

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as approved by the office. If the proposed bank will be owned by

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a single-bank holding company, the organizing directors of the

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proposed bank collectively must directly own or control at least

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an amount of the single-bank holding company's capital accounts

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equal to the lesser of $3 million or 25 percent of the proposed

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bank's total capital accounts proposed at opening, as approved by

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the office. If the proposed bank will be owned by an existing

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multibank holding company, the proposed directors must have a

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substantial capital investment in the holding company, as

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determined by the office. However, the investment is not required

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to exceed the amount otherwise required for a single-bank holding

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company application. Of total capital accounts at opening, as

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noted in the application or amendments or changes to the

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application, at least 25 percent of the capital shall be directly

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owned or controlled by the organizing directors of the bank.

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Directors of banks owned by single-bank holding companies shall

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have direct ownership or control of at least 25 percent of the

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bank holding company's capital accounts. The office may disallow

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illegally obtained currency, monetary instruments, funds, or

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other financial resources from the capitalization requirements of

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this section. The proposed stock offering must comply with the

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requirements of ss. 658.23-658.25 and 658.34-658.37.

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     Section 13.  Section 658.34, Florida Statutes, is amended to

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read:

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     658.34  Shares of capital stock.--

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     (1)  A bank or trust company shall issue its capital stock

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with par value of not more than $100 nor less than $1 per share.

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     (2) A No bank or trust company may not shall issue any

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shares of capital stock at a price less than par value, and prior

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to issuance, any such shares must be fully paid in cash.

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     (3)  With the approval of the office, a bank or trust

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company may issue preferred stock of one or more classes in an

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amount and with a par value as approved by the office.

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     (4)  With the approval of the office, a bank or trust

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company may issue less than all the number of shares of any of

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its capital stock authorized by its articles of incorporation.

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Such authorized but unissued shares may be issued only for the

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following purposes:

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     (a) To provide for stock options and warrants as provided

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in s. 658.35.

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     (b)  To declare or pay a stock dividend; however, any such

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stock dividend must comply with the provisions of this section

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and s. 658.37.

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     (c) To increase the capital of the bank or trust company,

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with the approval of the office.

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     (5) A financial institution may not issue or sell stock of

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the same class which creates different rights, options, warrants,

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or benefits among the purchasers or stockholders of that class of

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stock. This subsection does not prohibit the financial

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institution from creating uniform restrictions on the transfer of

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stock as permitted in s. 607.0627.

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     Section 14.  Subsection (2) of section 658.36, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     658.36  Changes in capital.--

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     (2) A Any state bank or trust company may, with the

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approval of the office, provide for an increase in its capital

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stock only if the state bank or trust company files a written

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notice 15 days before the increase.

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     Section 15.  Subsections (2) and (5) of section 658.44,

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Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

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     658.44  Approval by stockholders; rights of dissenters;

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preemptive rights.--

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     (2)  Written notice of the meeting of, or proposed written

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consent action by, the stockholders of each constituent state

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bank or state trust company shall be given to each stockholder of

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record, whether or not entitled to vote, and whether the meeting

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is an annual or a special meeting or whether the vote is to be by

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written consent pursuant to s. 607.0704, and the notice shall

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state that the purpose or one of the purposes of the meeting, or

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of the proposed action by the stockholders without a meeting, is

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to consider the proposed plan of merger and merger agreement.

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Except to the extent provided otherwise with respect to

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stockholders of a resulting bank or trust company pursuant to

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subsection (7), the notice shall also state that dissenting

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stockholders including those not entitled to vote but dissenting

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as set forth in paragraph (c), will be entitled to payment in

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cash of the value of only those shares held by the stockholders:

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     (a)  Which at a meeting of the stockholders are voted

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against the approval of the plan of merger and merger agreement;

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     (b)  As to which, if the proposed action is to be by written

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consent of stockholders pursuant to s. 607.0704, such written

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consent is not given by the holder thereof; or

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     (c)  With respect to which the holder thereof has given

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written notice to the constituent state bank or trust company, at

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or prior to the meeting of the stockholders or on or prior to the

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date specified for action by the stockholders without a meeting

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pursuant to s. 607.0704 in the notice of such proposed action,

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that the stockholder dissents from the plan of merger and merger

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agreement, and which shares are not voted for approval of the

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plan or written consent given under paragraph (a) or paragraph

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(b).

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Hereinafter in this section, the term "dissenting shares" means

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and includes only those shares, which may be all or less than all

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the shares of any class owned by a stockholder, described in

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paragraphs (a), (b), and (c).

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     (5) The fair value, as defined in s. 607.1301(4), of

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dissenting shares of each constituent state bank or state trust

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company, the owners of which have not accepted an offer for such

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shares made pursuant to subsection (3), shall be determined as of

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the effective date of the merger under ss. 607.1326-607.1331,

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except as the procedures for notice and demand are otherwise

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provided in this section by three appraisers, one to be selected

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by the owners of at least two-thirds of such dissenting shares,

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one to be selected by the board of directors of the resulting

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state bank, and the third to be selected by the two so chosen.

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The value agreed upon by any two of the appraisers shall control

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and be final and binding on all parties. If, within 90 days from

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the effective date of the merger, for any reason one or more of

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the appraisers is not selected as herein provided, or the

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appraisers fail to determine the value of such dissenting shares,

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the office shall cause an appraisal of such dissenting shares to

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be made which will be final and binding on all parties. The

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expenses of appraisal shall be paid by the resulting state bank

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or trust company.

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     Section 16.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2008.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.